The Hourglass
by musicislife6831
Summary: Rose has finally graduated from St. Vladimar's and is off to begin her new life with her one, Russian lover, Dimitri Belikov. But there are many complications arising in her new life, and sometimes, she doesnt think Dimitri and her will ever get the life they've dreamed of. Will they? Well you're going to have to read and find out, aren't you?
1. Today's the Day

**Soooo, this is my first FanFiction that I've ever written before, so I really hope you enjoy it. I'll keep writing if I'm encouraged to!**

**In this chapter, Rose is getting ready for her graduation with a little help from Dimitri.. Therefore, there's a little bit of lemony-goodness in this chapter. I hope you all enjoy it. Feedback is appreciated.~**

Chapter One - Today's the Day

Today I would be graduating from St. Vladimir's. I was really nervous, but I could never show it to anyone besides Lissa and Dimitri. I had waited for this day for years, anxious to leave the academy and start a new life starring me as Lissa's guardian, Dimitri as my lover (and possibly husband), and living out of the walls of this place.

I don't think I'd wanted anything else more than I wanted this.

Suddenly, I was thrusted out of deep thought when Lissa's emotions hit me hard enough to make me fall flat on my ass.

_Nervous. Scared. Worried._

I had to find her. Why was she acting this way? I really wished that our bond was two-way. She can talk to me, but I can't answer. I heard her voice echoing in my head:

_"Rose! Rose, where are you? Call me..."_

So, I did just that. I padded across the room, still half asleep from my rude awakening, but I didn't mind. If Liss was in trouble, she could interrupt me during sex for all I care. She is my priority. And with me graduating as her guardian, it only proved that my motivation toward Lissa was much needed.

I picked up my phone and quickly punched in her number. I've had it memorized for a while, incase she ever needed me. Her shaky voice spoke softly through our connection.

"Hello? Rose?"

"What's wrong, Liss?" I asked in a relatively serene tone.

"Where are you? I bet you've been sleeping!" She scolded. Damn, did she know me or what? "You haven't even started to get ready yet, have you? Graduation is in two hours, Rose!" I peered over to my blinking alarm clock, checking the time.

"You have got to be kidding me..." I took my free hand and wiped my eyes, making sure I wasn't just seeing things. 3:00AM. "Shit," I swore.

"Rose! Hurry up and get your butt over here!" She let out a loud dramatic sigh and I could just picture her in my mind, ticking off a mental list on her fingers of what she still had to do. "...And your make-up, and hair... Rose, are you even listening?"

I nodded as if she could see me and murmured into the phone. "Yeah, I'll be there in a few." I didn't wait for her response before I hit the 'End Call' button. I trudged back over to my bed and collapsed on it, letting out a huge groan of frustration before I heard two light knocks at my door.

"Holy shit," I exaggerated. All I wanted to do was sleep. Would people let me? No. So, I got up groggily and walked over to the door, dodging clothing articles that lined my side of the room. I reached out with my right hand to twist the knob, while my left hand rubbed my eye. "Mhm?" I mumbled before realizing who was at my door.

"Roza," His deep voice was laced with that irresistible Russian accent, making me smile. I looked up at him and gave a small chuckle.

"Hey, comrade," He pulled me into his strong arms and gave me a kiss on my forehead. I rested against his chest sleepily, taking in the musky scent of his aftershave. "Mm... You smell good..."

Although I didn't see it, I knew he was smiling. His low tone chuckled just outside of my ear. "I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment, or be concerned," Dimitri's halfhearted laugh filled my room like a calming essence. I loved his laugh and his smile. I just don't think he realized how much.

I managed a sly smile and I pulled back, looking up at him. "Both." He smiled and walked into my dorm, closing the door behind him. I moved lazily across the room and sat on the edge of the bed with Dimitri following. I sighed and stood back up, just as Dimitri sat down, and peeled my shirt off over my head. I heard my lover's small gasp even before I turned around. I threw a cocky grin and him, walking back over slowly before resting on his lap in a straddle.

"See something you like, comrade?" I laughed, peering at him with one eye as his hands found my hips.

"Mm.." He grunted. He then leaned in an kissed down my neck, to my collarbone, leaving trails of butterfly kisses on my upper portion.

I watched him, only wishing that Dimitri and I could have sex right now. We haven't been with each other like that since the night in the cabin. He had told me about a week after our first time having sex that we could be together again after I graduated.

Thank God.

That's when it hit me. I had a sudden realization that I was graduating tonight.

"Dimitri!" I squealed, stopping him abruptly from kissing down my chest.

"What's wrong?" He asked, immediately pulling away, probably thinking that it was something that he had done. Although he seemed to be slightly confused when I pulled him back into another heated kiss. It didn't last very long before I moved away and smiled. "Roza..." He complained, obviously not wanting me to stop kissing him.

"I'm graduating today!" I laughed out the words and hugged him. He smiled one of his rare smiles and held me in his strong arms. This was turning out to be a really romantic moment before I interrupted it by an abrupt thought.

"We get to have sex!" Dimitri couldn't contain his laughter at my sudden outburst. His deep chuckle filled the room and I looked at him. And I mean seriously looked at him. He found it funny? Well then. I'll show him.

I grinned while his laughter captured him. Still straddling him, I pretended to be absentmindedly playing with his hands. Boy was he wrong. My grin grew when I reached for his wrists. He seemed to be catching on to what my motive was. I then leaned in and pressed my lips softly against his. I felt his breathing pick up and I smiled. That's when I attacked.

I pushed him back on the bed, pinning his hands beside his face.

"Making fun of me, hm?" I smirked and leaned in closer. I could feel something hard on my thigh and my smirk grew.

"No..." He shuddered, semi-grinding his pelvis into me. All I could do was laugh. I had total control over him, and he knew it. I knew he wanted to have his way with me right then and there. But would I let him? Nah. I'd make him suffer a little longer.

To his surprise, I ground him back, lightly and hardly noticeable at first, then evolving into something more quick and rough. I heard Dimitri bellow out and moan my name in beautiful Russian. "Roza..." I smiled knowingly. It was clear that I had teased him enough and it was time for the real thing.

I would finally have sex, for the second time, with Dimitri.

I swooned down and mashed my lips with his. This gradually turned into a war between our tongues and lots more grinding. His hand then slipped under my bra, and cupped my breast. He fondled me while his other hand moved down to my Snoopy pajama shorts. He played with the elastic band of it before his whole hand glided down and found my moistened panties. His finger slowly traced a continuous line all over my front. I groaned in pleasure, sliding my hips forward and back so he would knick me deeper.

Although, just as we were about to claim our love for each other, there was a few rapid knocks on my door.

"Ugh..." I groaned as Dimitri retracted both of his hands. I got up, so desperately needing to release, threw my baggy shirt on and opened the door. A pair of hands flung around me, and I was pulled into an exasperated hug.

"Rose!" Lissa complained. "You look like crap! Ugh... This will be harder than I thought. Go shower and I'll get my make-up bag." She then looked at Dimitri who reluctantly had straightened out his duster and was sitting with his hands folded into his lap, probably trying to hide his excitement. I smirked and nodded at Lissa and she left my room in a hurry.

I padded back over to my Russian lover and sat beside him, letting out a dramatic sigh. I knew Lissa was worried about me. Not just about graduation, but about me in general. I was sure that I was going to be her guardian, along with Dimitri, but I think that she was still having second thoughts. She knew Dimitri and I had feelings for each other, and she didn't want to risk any of that. She wanted me to be happy. And honestly, I was. After everything she and I had gone through, our bond, happiness, and our everlasting friendship would always keep us together. Dimitri must have been watching me because he was giving me what seemed to be an amused smile.

"What are you thinking about, Roza?" His words seemed to snap me out of my thoughts and I looked at him.

"Hm? Oh, just... Guardian stuff," I shrugged, telling him only a fragment of the truth.

He shimmied himself over to me, wrapping an arm around my waist. "Rose... You can talk to me if you need to." He then gave me a quick kiss on the lips and stood up, walking to the door. It seemed as if his arousal had gone down, but I could still see the tension in his jagged features. He turned to me and gave me one of his rare smiles. His voice was a little husky, but no one would think anything about it. "Congratulations. Today, you're going to graduate into a young guardian. I'm so proud of you." And with those encouraging last words, he opened my door and walked out, closing it behind him.

God, I love him.

**What'd you guys think? (: It's my first time, so please respond to it! Should I keep going? I hope you guys liked it! :D**


	2. Finally

**I hope you enjoyed the last chapter-Reviews are encouraged. It'll help me. Also, if you have any ideas, I'll definitely take them into consideration. I hope you like it so far.**

Chapter 2 - Finally

_God, I love him._

After Dimitri left, I hurried off into the shower. I had still yet to release thanks to the interruption, so now was my chance. I didn't like the idea of this, but it had to be done.

I let the steamy water wash over my olive skin while I leaned against the wall. Maybe this would help? Did it? No.

Abso-fricken-lutely not.

I then decided to lightly trail my fingers over myself, and trust me, that did work.

Even how awkward it was, I let out a suppressed moan. I clasped my hand over my mouth, hoping that no one had heard me. Thank God I didn't have a roommate.

I finished washing myself and drying off, walking across my little bathroom to fetch some clothes. That's when I noticed the note stuck to my mirror in the flawless handwriting that could only be Dimitri's.

_Roza,_

_You'll do wonderful today, I know you will. You and I both know that we will be Lissa's guardians, and I want you to know how proud I am. Truly and utterly proud. Open the cabinet door this note was attached to. I hope you like it. I love you, Roza. Never forget it._

_Love, D_

Tears had welled up in my eyes and I frantically wiped them away. I mean, I knew he was proud, he told me before he left. But this note made my nervousness more bearable. He is, and always will be there for me.

I finally pulled myself out of my inner-babble and opened the small cabinet. Inside, I found a white, long box sitting on the shelf that my toothpaste was kept on. I smiled again, reaching in for the box and taking it out carefully. I really felt the need to shake the box like little kids did on Christmas morning. Even though I knew it was a pointless gesture, I did it anyway. The object rattled against the box softly, encouraging me to open it. My hand slowly found the red ribbon that wove around the boxes edges and pried it off. I then lifted the lid, excitement flooding me. Could this day get any better? I was graduating, becoming Lissa's guardian, getting my Promise Mark, and receiving a present from Dimitri. The only thing that could make this day the utmost best, would be to have sex with Dimitri. But, I wasn't leaving the academy until Sunday. _Two days._

I unfurled the ribbon and tossed it aside, carefully lifting the lid, full of anticipation. I let out a small gasp and ran my fingers over its cool surface. It was a small, silver heart that was finely laced in small diamonds, encrusting what seemed to appear as a rose. Tears yet again started to form in my eyes as I took in the rest of it. The small pendent was attached to a simple silver chain. How much had this cost?! I was going to kill him after graduation... Then smother him in kisses.

I wiped the betraying tears from my face and quickly brushed out my dark curls and slipped on the traditional guardian uniform, tying my hair up in a high pony tail, the way Dimitri likes it. I draped the necklace around my neck and let the small charm rest just above my cleavage. I applied mascara and eyeliner in a hurry, still doing an okay-job.

I padded across my room and stopped at my door. I knew it was stupid, but I had spent so much time in this room. All of our memories lay in here. And in just two days time, I'd be leaving it all behind.

I took a deep breath and turned back to face my door, prying it open and walking out, closing it behind me. Once I heard the click of the lock, I made my way down to the auditorium where the other guardians-to-be were. I halted at the doors to my freedom and looked around the academy.

This is where I grew up.

I wonder if it was hard for other people to leave the academy too. I wasn't sure.

The smell of clover leaves and alcohol crept up behind me, and so did the voice that always seemed to come with it.

"Hello, little Dhampir." I turned and threw him a cocky smile.

"Hey, Adrian," He grinned and opened his arms to me. Accepting his gesture, I walked into his arms and into a tight hug. "What are you doing here? The girls back at court get boring?" He let me go but kept his hands on my shoulders. He smirked and chuckled, making me smile.

"Nah, but to see you, I could stand to leave." He dropped his hands and his face went serious. "I'm actually here for the graduation. Wouldn't miss it for the world," His smile reappeared and I made one to match.

"Adrian, you didn't have to come. It's only my graduation," I shrugged it off casually.

"No, Rose," He spoke my name with a slight edge to it. I cocked my head to the side and let him continue. "I want to be here."

My smile grew and I knew I really could count on him. "Thank you. This means a lot to me." He pulled me in for another hug and held me a bit longer this time. When he let me go, I heard my name being called.

I turned around, almost knocked over by the impact of Lissa's hug. I mean, I know Moroi aren't that strong, but, damn. That was a hug.

"Rose!" Her excited squeals filled the hallway of filing people. "You look like a real guardian!"

I laughed quietly and pulled out of her hug. "You mean to say that I've looked like a fake guardian all this time?" She laughed and shook her head, throwing her arms around me again.

"Not what I meant. You look great." She pulled back and smiled at me.

That's when I got to take in what Lissa was wearing. She was gorgeous. All of us novices had to wear the casual, yet formal guardian wear that our mentors had given us. Whereas the Moroi got to dress up. After all, this was graduation.

Aside from the novices clothing, the Moroi were dressed exceptionally well. Lissa was wearing a lavender coloured dress, and it had that torn-yet-fancy look at the bottom of it. The dress ended at her knees, clinging to her in all of the right areas. There were small sequins that lined it. They went from the left shoulder and sprawled out across her stomach, kind of like those hand-held fans that fancy, rich people use. Her shoes were an elegant black, with a heel about three inches high. I smiled at her and looked back at her flawless hair and make-up. Her blonde hair was curled in messy ringlets which made her look stunning. Her make-up was mostly nude colours. Lissa liked natural beauty; which she most definitely had.

"Liss," I exclaimed. "You look beautiful." I smiled, feeling kind of outdone, considering I had my hair in a pony tail and I was wearing black dress pants, a white blouse and a blazer.

Lissa giggled and hugged me again. I had a feeling that this hug wasn't the last one I would receive from her today. "Thank you so much, Rose. Even though you are just wearing casual guardian clothes, you make them look amazing." I laughed at her attempt of a compliment and shook my head.

"Thanks, Liss." Just when we had let go, Adrian cleared his throat and we turned around. Lissa hugged him and they both smiled.

"Hey, cousin,"

"Hello, Adrian." She smiled and let go of him, smoothing out her dress.

"You look wonderful." He lifted his lips into a small smirk. I knew he hadn't meant it as a pick-up line to get in Lissa's pants-well, dress-or anything. He did it as a friendly gesture. I smiled also, turning around to fix my blouse and looking up so my eyes met my Russian lover's'.

"Hello, Roza." The sweet smell of his aftershave lingered around us. His accent ran through his words faintly, but I could still make it out.

I smiled as he pulled me into a hug. "Hey, comrade," I heard his soft chuckle at the mere mention of the nickname I had given to him the first time we met. When we let go, he looked down at my neck, trailing his eyes down to where the small pendent that he gave my lay. He traced his fingers down the necklaces chain, stopping just above my breasts where the charm rested. He lifted it up between his fingers and eyed it, smiling.

"I'm glad you like it," His voice was full of accomplishment and self praise. I smirked and looked him in the eyes.

"I don't _like_ it," I started. Hurt flashed though his eyes when our gazes locked. He tried protesting, saying he could take it back in exchange for something else, but I stopped him. "Dimitri," I said sternly, shutting up his worried babble. "I _love_ it." The hurt was immediately washed away and glazed over in happiness.

"Oh, I'm so glad, Roza. I was afraid that-" I held up a finger which stopped him mid-sentence.

"Dimitri, anything that you give me, I love. But nothing compares to as much as I love you." I whispered the last part, because only a select few knew about Dimitri and I. He smiled one of those rare smiles that I longed for and pulled me into a corner, placing a lingering kiss on my lips, but quick enough that no one noticed. When we finally pried ourselves away from each other, we walked back to the auditorium doors where the ceremony would begin.

"It's time," Dimitri whispered. I nodded and straightened out my clothes, inhaling deeply, and exhaling through my nose. I did this a few times before Dimitri came up to me again. He said something that I didn't think anyone would talk about willingly.

"Mason would be proud of you." His voice was quiet, but loud enough that I could hear him. I took in a quick breath and nodded.

"I know. I just wish he was here with me."

"He would have been a great guardian." Dimitri now stood beside me, never once making eye contact. "We found this in his room after his death. It's addressed to you." I looked at him, then my eyes wandered to the small golden box that be was holding. That could only be Mason's crappy wrapping skills. I smiled and laughed; the sound kind of muffled by my tears, and took the box from him. On the front was a note from Mason.

_Rose,_

_GRADUATION! I can't believe we're graduating! I think we know what's in store. Celebratory sex! ;) Haha, just kidding. But, congrats, Rose. I never doubted you since the day you started at St. Vladimir's, not even when you left for those two years. I'm so happy for you. I even bought this gift in advance. Almost a full year in advance. I wasn't sure if I was going to be graduating with you, but I knew you would be. I'm so proud of you, Rose. And, I think all this cute-friend stuff that I've been writing deserves a hug and a big kiss! Anyway, I hope you like it. If not, too bad! Love you!_

_Love, Mason (:_

Tears were stinging my eyes, and a few stray tears streaked down my face. I couldn't help but smile. I tucked the note in my pocket and slipped my finger underneath the gold wrapping paper. I tore it off and threw it in the garbage can that was near by. The box that was holding my gift looked like a wedding ring box. One of those velvety black boxes that were attached with hinges at the back. I slowly opened the box and took another sharp intake of breath.

It was beautiful. It was a ring, a small silver one with various diamonds on it. They went only half way down both sides of the band and in the middle was two larger ones. This must have cost him so much... I caught a glimpse of what seemed to be letters engraved into the inside of the ring.

I'll always be here for you.

I couldn't control my emotions any longer and I burst into tears. Dimitri seemed startled and pulled me into his arms. I cried into his chest for a while before wiping away my tears frantically.

"It's so beautiful, Mase..." I whispered. Sliding the frail ring onto my right hand's ring finger, I admired it for a moment before shoving the box deep into my pocket. I smiled and then the thought hit me.

"Shit!" I swore. "I probably just ruined my make-up!" I whirled around to Lissa, who had been rubbing my back whilst I was crying, and outstretched my hand. "I need your mirror!" She gave it to me and I quickly fixed myself up.

After I was satisfied, I handed it back to her and straightened my blazer, ready to take on this ceremony. Lissa and I walked in, arm in arm, looking like we could take on the world.

We sat down with the other graduating students, Moroi on one side and Dhampirs on the other. Our seats were marked with our names, all in alphabetical order. I walked up and down the isles, looking for my reserved seat. I looked at all of the names, and finally came to one that had my full name written across it.

_Rosemary Hathaway_

I took my seat, eager for the ceremony that would finally bring us graduates some freedom, to begin.

Everyone filed in and sat in their assigned seats, ready to begin. Headmistress Kirova stood at the podium on the stage, going through all of the students' names. I smiled and looked like I paid attention; but really, I was all nervous and excited at the same time.

After a while, I began to grow bored. Honestly, I didn't think I would ever graduate, at this rate. Although, I did sort of pity the people with last names that started with R, or a Z, or something.

"Rosemary Hathaway." I stopped my mental complaining and stood up at the beckon of my name, where I walked slowly up to Kirova. "Congratulations," She spoke quietly. "I knew you would make it." She smiled and then handed me an envelope in which the name of the Moroi I would be serving was in. I took it and then walked over to the tattoo artist's chair. Sitting in it, I held my pony tail away from the back of my neck so he could give me my _Promise Mark_. The tattoo artist that had given me my _molnija_ marks had made sure there was room for my _Promise Mark_ when I graduated.

I felt the light sting of the needle as it penetrated my skin. I waited patiently until it was done and he had sealed it off. I then stood and everyone clapped. I saw Lissa smiling proudly at me, Adrian giving me his cocky smile, Eddie clapping the loudest, and Dimitri. Dimitri was standing against the wall, like usual, smiling and clapping respectfully. I smiled and walked off the stage, sitting down in my chair to watch the rest of the ceremony.

While others were going up, decided to open my envelope. I read it slowly to myself.

_Rosemary Hathaway has been assigned to protect Lissa Dragomir, and has officially graduated from St. Vladimir's Academy._

I grinned, already knowing I would be assigned to Lissa. I had finally graduated. I was Lissa's guardian. I could be with Dimitri. And best of all, in just two days time, I would have sex.


	3. Packing

**This chapter made ME fangirl, and I'm the one who wrote it! Let's just say that there's a rather... Large surprise in this chapter. I know it's short, but I needed to get this idea introduced so I can go into further detail in the chapters to come. Enjoy! (:**

Chapter 3 - Packing

_I grinned, already knowing I had been assigned to Lissa. I had finally graduated. I was Lissa's guardian. I could be with Dimitri. And best of all, in just two days time, I would have sex._

The reception was great. Honestly, they had so much food; I didn't think I'd be able to try it all. But I did.

I was in the midst of creating another plate of food when Lissa bounced up to me and wrapped her arms around me in an excited hug. Balancing my plate with one hand, I set it on the table, winding my arms around her too.

"I'm so proud of you, Liss." I smiled and admired her hair from a different angle.

"I'm really proud of you too, Rose. _Mason_ is too." I could hear the excitement in her voice when she said the last part. I just pulled away from her, confused. My happy grin was swapped with a sad smile.

"Thanks. And... What do you mean he _is_ proud?" I watched her hopeful expression light up. Mine faltered and faded into a grim line.

"He's here." My eyes widened with shock and disbelief.

"What? He can't be here. He's dead. D-E-A-D-dead. There is no way he could have just been brought back from the-" That's when it hit me. Lissa could heal the dead. Adrian was also a possibility, but a lesser one. Had one of them brought him back? Where the hell had he been?! Why didn't they tell me?

Millions of unanswered questions bellowed through my mind and I shook my head in disbelief.

"Lissa, stop fucking with me. Mason's dead." My sad smile had turned into something more pissed off. She had brought up a very touchy subject, and honestly, I was scared. I had seen Mason's ghost, he _had_ to have died.

Suddenly, I felt someone's arms move around my waist and a chin rest firmly on my shoulder. Red hair flew into my peripheral vision, and I spun around, startled.

"Who the he-" It was him. He stood in front of me. Not only was he dressed in the traditional guardian uniform, but he had brushed his hair. And shaved. And he smelled really good. My eyes widened and all I could do was stare at him.

"I know I'm sexy, but is the staring really necessary?" Mason's cocky voice filled the room that had now grown silent. Everyone stared at him. After all, the last they'd heard, Mason died. I was just as shocked as they were, too.

I wasted no more time and closed the space between me and my best friend. I hugged him, so tightly that I thought I might break him in half. He chuckled and returned the embrace willingly.

"Mason..." Was all I could manage to say. I heard the smile in his voice when he spoke again.

"I missed you, Rose." He hugged me tighter for a moment before pulling away. Still holding my shoulders, he smiled happily, clearly glad to be home.

"W...Where were you?" I managed to choke out. The tears that had welled up in my eyes were now flowing down my cheeks.

He smiled sadly and swallowed, closing his eyes with a small sigh. "It's a long story," He started. I was just about to protest and make him tell me when he continued. "But, I promise, I will tell you. Maybe we'll all go out to dinner or something, and I'll tell everyone then." As much as I wanted to plead for him to tell me, I nodded and agreed.

"O-Okay." I stuttered. He pulled me back to him again and let me sob into his chest. I had missed him so much. It seemed as if everyone around me just disappeared, and all I could see was Mason and I. This moment was one I would never forget.

"What happened to you, Rose?" He didn't sound concerned, but curious, in a bubbly sort of way. "The Rose I remember never cried!" He chuckled softly and so did I. His attempt to cheer me up had worked. It always did. I looked up at him, a smile plastered to my face. I stared deep into his eyes, and he returned my gaze. I pulled away from our hug and averted my eyes away from his pale face.

"Where were you?" I spoke almost coldly, but not quite that harsh. He had me worrying about him for months. How could he act like everything was okay? I mean, I was ecstatic to see him, way more than that. But he couldn't have even tried to make some sort of contact with me?

"Rose, I was going to tell you all at dinner, remem-"

"_No_." I interfered. I know I sounded like a total bitch, but I had spent months grieving over Mason's death. "_Where. Were. You_." I gritted my teeth at the last words and met his eyes yet again. They seemed to be confused, slightly angry at my outburst, and even a little sad. I wanted to take it all back, but then he continued.

"I know you're upset. But this isn't the place or time." His eyes bored into mine and I had to look away to keep my focus.

"I... I was so worried about you." I finally said after quite some time of no one talking. I could feel the tension around him lessen and I heard the exasperation in his voice.

"I know." He spoke just above a whisper and placed his hands on my shoulders again, making me tilt my head up to meet his eyes. I looked at him and smiled. I had missed him so much. Now wasn't the time to argue, it was the time to celebrate.

"Never mind," I said. Although, I did want to know where he was, this wasn't the way to welcome back my "dead" best friend. "C'mon, we have strictly work to deal with in a couple of days. Let's enjoy our freedom while we can." He smiled at me and pulled me into another hug, but let go of me only a few moments after it had begun.

"Well, what do you suspect we do?" He asked looking around; clearly forgetting he was home for the most part. That's when we tuned back in to everyone around us.

Lissa. Cristian. Adrian. Mia. Eddie. And, Dimitri.

"Well," Adrian's semi-slurred voice intervened. "I have my sources."

"Care to elaborate?" I said, sarcastically. He threw me a cocky smile and I gave him one back.

"Well... A buddy of mine is having this party later on tonight. It's a beach party, so swimming, campfires, drinking, dancing. It'll be fun; you all are invited, if you want to go." He shrugged and took another swig from the flask that he kept tucked away wherever he could store it. I nodded and peered around me, watching everyone else nod in agreement.

"Alright," Eddie spoke up. "I think we all agree here." I looked over at Dimitri, then. He seemed quite uneasy about the party. I padded over to him and found his hand, entwining our fingers together. I glanced up at him and squeezed his hand lightly.

"Will there be guardians there? Enough to watch all of the Moroi?" I questioned, my eyes never leaving Dimitri's clouded features.

"Well, yeah." Adrian scoffed as if it was expected. Which, it certainly was. "They're surrounding the whole place, don't worry, little Dhampir." He winked my way and I shook my head, rolling my eyes as well. Adrian always teased me, about everything. He also still had the biggest crush on me ever. He still thought that I was playing hard-to-get, which obviously, I wasn't. He was cute, yes. But only best-friend material. Just like Mason. Mason was one of the sweetest guys I knew, but yet again, just best friend material.

I eyed Adrian warily and nodded. "Alright, we'll go." He smiled to match my own and gave us a sloppy thumbs-up.

"Good. I'll get someone to pick you all up at 5:00AM." He then turned on his heel and stalked away outside of the building, probably to have another cigarette. I then turned back to my friends, still hand in hand with my Russian lover, and smiled.

"Well, guys, lets celebrate."


	4. Regret

Chapter 4 - Regret

**So, this is about the beach party and some drama between Mason and Rose. Hope you like it.~**

_"Well, guys, let's celebrate."_

Everyone departed back to their dorms, apart from Lissa and I, who went back to hers to get ready. I mean, even though I was in a committed relationship, I still had to look good. You can't keep a badass reputation up without the looks to match.

So, Lissa trudged into her closet to find us bikinis to wear. I had a couple of my own, but if I want to look utterly sexy, I'd need to wear one of Lissa's.

She walked out with about fifteen different bikinis. I swear she had every colour imaginable in that closet of hers. But the one that caught my eye wasn't a bright, multicoloured bikini. It was a black suit with swirls of red running through it, sort of looking like blood in black water. It had small sequins that hovered around the individual swirls of crimson. It was gorgeous.

Apparently Lissa had noticed my fascination with this particular bathing suit and she smiled, clutching it in between her slim fingers.

"I think you should wear this one." She thrusted her hand toward me and I took the bathing suit willingly.

"You know me too well," I smirked and laughed softly while she laughed her cute friendly one. I walked over to her and hugged her, pulling away and stalking toward her washroom. "Thanks, Liss." She nodded and I turned into the washroom, closing the door behind me.

I moved slowly over to the other side of the bathroom and set the bathing suit Liss gave me on the lid of the toilet. I then stood back up and looked at myself in the mirror that hung directly above the little sink.

My reflection seemed to look fine, better than fine actually. My lips formed up into a smile, more halfhearted than incredibly content. My cheeks bore small dimples from where my consistent smirks and grins lay. But my eyes bore something different. On the outside, they looked as if they were relieved and happy. But if someone looked deeper, they would see hurt, pain, worry...

A very un-Rose like thing to ever see.

But it's not like it was my fault. So many things had happened recently. Dimitri and I… We'd become lovers again.

I doubt that Mason knew that. He couldn't still think we were dating. I had moved on with Adrian... Then Dimitri… Again.

But now that all of that conflict had passed, I thought that I could relax while I could, then graduate and start my new life.

Apparently my life couldn't go on without complications. How typical.

I stared a little longer, noticing that there was some smeared make-up under my left eye. I quickly wiped it away, making sure everything was evened out before I took a deep breath.

"You can do this, Rose." I told myself with only a little bit of confidence. Soon after, deciding that my attempt at confidence was lacking and pathetic.

I shook it off and tried to think of the upsides of the night.

I would get to spend it will all of my friends, maybe for the last time in a long while. I would get to just relax and have fun while I still could, enjoy myself before I had to resume the responsible role as Lissa's guardian.

But I couldn't shake the feeling that Mason was going to be there. No matter how hard I tried, that notion wouldn't leave my mind.

Lissa's impatient voice thrusted me out of my thought, even though I wasn't sure what she said.

"Uh, what? I'll be out in a minute!" I called, looking at my reflection once more before discarding my clothing and switching it for the incredibly revealing bikini. I placed my clothes in a pile on the floor before walking out.

Little did I know, Lissa was warning me about the arrival of Adrian.

His eyes widened as he saw me in all-well, most of my glory.

"Are you looking for something, Adrian?" I asked cockily, resting my hands on my hips. "Or do you need help picking your jaw up off the floor?"

That brought a smile to his lips and he nodded. "Nothing can get past you, little Dhampir." He admired, shaking his head with his usual devilish smirk.

"Here, Rose," Lissa intervened, handing me a pair of short, ripped denim shorts along with a white, fluffy towel.

"Thanks, Liss," I smiled, taking her offerings. I quickly slipped on the denim shorts, doing up the zipper and buttons. I also put on a pair of flip-flops before looking up at them both. "Alright, we ready?" I asked, opening the door to a night I'd surely remember.

~ … ~

There were a lot more people than I expected to be there, but what else would I expect? It was one of Adrian's friends, after all.

I exited the car that Adrian had sent to get us and stepped onto the sandy beach with a smile. The sun was going to be up soon, but no one cared. It would make things uncomfortable for the Moroi, but with the way all of them were drinking, I doubt that they would pay much attention.

I stood there for a moment, my towel draped over my shoulders, hands on my hips, looking up at the dawning sky.

I never really got to enjoy things like this... I was too busy either getting in trouble, helping guard the academy, or sleeping.

Most of that was sleeping.

But taking in the beauty of the moment, I continued to stand there, staring out into the sky like it was the most amazing thing I had ever seen.

Which wasn't true. Dimitri without clothes on was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. But still.

Arms wound around my waist and I raised a perfectly waxed brow, eyeing the figure holding me.

He was about six foot six, six foot seven-ish. His chestnut brown hair was tied back into a short pony tail and his chocolate hues were on me. He had a little bit of stubble, but that didn't hide the fact that he was still incredibly sexy.

"Hey, Dimitri," I said, turning myself around. He let go quickly to ensure no one saw and nodded. "Are you not going swimming, comrade? Don't have your life jacket?" I teased, smirking up at him.

"Forgot it along with my rubber duck." He said, rolling his eyes. "I'm here to patrol. I want to make sure everyone-especially you, are safe." He told me, scanning his eyes around the area protectively.

I merely shrugged, and looked around as well, admiring the beauty of the place… Minus all of the drunk fucks. "It _is_ beautiful," I told him, smiling warmly.

"In my eyes, nothing compares to your beauty." Dimitri whispered softly in my ear, sending shivers up my spine. It made me so happy when he did these things, even though I usually just brushed them off.

"Thank you, comrade." I looked at him, stealing a quick kiss and turned away to find the others. After all, everyone on this beach would have been too drunk to remember that anyway.

I looked around for some time, getting suggestive looks from some Moroi guys I didn't know. I just threw them a flirtatious smile and rolled my eyes, moving past them.

When I finally found Lissa, she had clearly already been drinking. I laughed softly and sat with her, taking a swig of the beer she had just set down. She looked over to me with a lazed smile. "So who're you looking for?" She asked, her words not yet slurred.

"Mason." I said coldly, his name rolling off of my tongue like some kind of poison. I didn't mean for it to sound that way… But that's how it came out, so I didn't bother fixing it.

"He's over there by the water," She said pointedly, bobbing her head in the direction of the red head. "He's been looking for you too." She finalized when I stood up.

"Thanks, Liss," I said before turning away and heading in the direction of Mason.

"Don't hurt him!" I heard Lissa call, making a small smirk arise on my lips.

"No promises," I mumbled to myself, my footsteps hollowing near his frame.

He wasn't nearly as muscular as Dimitri, but he was still attractive to the average girl. His arms had muscle from all of those years in training we had together, and his stomach seemed to have the faint outline of future abs-not that I care. But when he turned to me, his eyes held the look of worry and unease, truly correct emotions for what he had done.

He had made me think he died. He didn't even tell me he was okay. He left me there for months, grieving over his death. All of these thoughts were making me angry, so when I reached him, I grabbed him by the arm and dragged him through the crowd. We got a few giggles and immature assholes making noises like, "Ooh," and wolf whistling. I brushed them off with a serious, "Fuck off," and never had problems with them again.

When we got to the abandoned camp fire, I sat down on an old log they had set up for around the fire and he sat beside me, looking at the sandy ground in defeat. Besides us, there was no one else around the blazing fire.

"Rose, look, I'm really sorry, I-" I held up my hand, cutting him off mid-sentence. He looked up at me, almost frightened, or so I thought.

"No, Mase… Don't say you're sorry. You left me. I saw you die." There was a pain in his eyes that was mirrored in my own. "I watched that Strigoi kill you. I saw your ghost after you died. I saw you fade away… You died, Mason. I need you to tell me what happened. How are you still alive?" I whispered, the same hurt and neglect from my eyes filling my voice.

His face looked strained and hurt, but most of all disappointed. And I don't think it was disappointment in me, but in him. I could feel his sorrow radiating off of him like heat. "I wanted to tell you, Rose, I really did. I just… I just couldn't bring myself to do it." He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts before he continued, averting his eyes back to the sand. "After everything that happened between us… I didn't think..." He dragged on, his mouth slightly parted as if he didn't know what to say.

"You didn't think what, Mason?" I asked him, growing slightly annoyed. Would he just spit it out already? "You didn't think that your best friend would be worried about you? You didn't think that I was scared for you? You didn't think that I spent months morning over your so called "death"?" I said, my voice getting louder and growing with frustration as I continued. "How could you not tell me?!" I yelled, this time not worrying about who heard me. My eyes were stinging with tears, but I swallowed hard to keep them back. I was shaking, something I did a lot when I was mad.

I knew I shouldn't have been yelling at him… But I didn't know what else to do. My dead friend that turned out to be not-so-dead was back. I mean we had our differences, but this? This was completely different.

People had stopped their light conversation to look at us, but I wasn't focused on them. My eyes were aimed toward the ginger sitting beside me, my best friend. "Mase, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell. I..." I couldn't find the right words to say. I knew apologizing now would be pointless. I had hurt him so much just to find out he's not dead and all I do is yell at him. "What is wrong with me…?" I whispered, placing my head in my hands.

Mason, on the other hand, looked mad and upset at the same time. "You know, you get mad so much it's starting to become a permanent thing, huh?" My eyes wandered up to him, and that same anger enveloped over my face.

"What?" I asked, gritting my teeth.

"Yeah. Aren't you cute when you're mad." He taunted sarcastically, giving me all of the motivation I needed.

"We'll I'm about to get real fucking adorable." I said to him, standing up. He stood up as well, but clearly he wasn't ready for my next actions.

When he turned around and met my eyes, that's all he was focused on. He was definitely not focused on the fist that aimed straight for his jaw. The contact between my balled fist and his mouth seemed to hit harder than I anticipated, sending him to the ground. When he fell, his hand was rubbing his cheek while he looked up at me. Sorrow, pain, and neglect filled his eyes when we looked at each other again.

"Tell me when you remember, because I swear if you say another word to me tonight, that punch isn't the only thing you'll get."

People crowded around him while I stormed away. I didn't care who saw me, not Lissa, not Adrian, not Adrian's friends, not even Dimitri.

I walked quickly off of the beach's shore with my things, trying to gather all of my thoughts.

I just punched my best friend in the face. I swore I had missed him so much, but right now, I couldn't stand to look at him. What was happening to me? I was becoming something terrible… Like Mia was when we first returned to the academy. Well, not that bad, but close enough that I couldn't stand myself.

Momentarily, my eyes wandered over to the trees where I saw a disappointed Dimitri lurking. I instantly tore my eyes away from his chocolate ones and headed straight for the car we arrived in. I opened the door in haste, slamming it with more force than I had hit Mason with.

For the first time, I looked at my reflection in the mirror, regarding myself warily. My eyes were red and puffy and my hair was tousled messily from the light wind outside.

But most of all I noticed my eyes. Behind their dark colour was something I hadn't seen in a long time. A look that I hadn't seen bore in them since Dimitri had been killed.

I saw _regret_.

Regret that I had just punched Mason in the face. That I just yelled at him. And that it seemed more like I wished he actually _did_ die on that day. Some of these things were true, but knowing Mason was safe and alive brought a new feeling.

It was a mixture of happiness and sadness. I couldn't place my finger on one exact emotion I was feeling.

All in that moment, the memories of Mason and I flooded back to me, sending me into a scheme of remorse.

He was so happy to see me, and I was ecstatic to see him too… And looking at us now, you'd swear that I hated him.  
But I didn't. I _couldn__'__t._

~Flashback~

_I was sitting with Mason at the lunch table we always sat at, the one in the far corner closest to the refill place because I didn__'__t want to walk far to get seconds. _

_He kept stealing my French fries when he thought I wasn__'__t looking. _

_My eyes formed into thin slits as I glared at him in a playful manor, picking up individual fries to throw at him._

_As soon as I was out of those, I moved on to the ketchup, staining the jeans he was wearing. I couldn__'__t stop myself from laughing. __"__Mason__'__s on his period!__"__ I shouted, earning wolf whistles and laughs from both Moroi and Dhampirs alike.  
His lips turned up into a grin and picked up the pudding he was eating, throwing it at me. It landed all over my boobs.  
Figures._

_His eyes were fixated on my cleavage, and before we knew it, the entire commons was coated in different foods.  
__"__I__'__m going to get in so much trouble.__"__ I whispered, throwing Lissa__'__s grapes at Mason__'__s face.  
The entire school body had joined into the massive food fight that had erupted and everyone was laughing._

_My hand then reached for the first thing I could grab to throw: ice cream._

_I picked it up and threw it in a random direction, laughing uncontrollably the whole time.  
That was until the commons suddenly went quiet and small gasps were heard. _

_I raised my head to see what had just happen, a humored grin resting on my lips._

_I had just thrown ice cream into the face of Headmistress Kirova._

~End of flashback~

My thoughts were pushed aside when the car door opened and my Russian lover stood in the doorway.

Apparently I had been crying because as quickly as he had opened the door, he was in the car with the door shut.

All of my memories of happy Mason and I were long gone, or at least from my perspective at the moment.

I felt his strong arms wrap around me as he held me to him protectively.

I rested my head against Dimitri's chest and cried while he murmured softly to me in beautiful Russian. And for the first time in a long time, I let everything out.

**I know that Mason didn't tell Rose how he lived, but I'm still trying to gather up my thoughts so everything makes sense when I reveal what happened. This chapter upset me when I wrote it, but I guess when two friends fight, it's never a good thing. Anyway, keep reviewing! Ideas are also welcome if you've got them. I'm going to try and update a new chapter weekly, but I can't promise that it'll be every week. I'll try though.~**


	5. The Truth

**OH MY LANTA. I am so, SO sorry that i haven't uploaded a new chapter in so long. School and work have been crazy with culminating projects and tests and everything. Things are still going to be hectic until the end of June, so please just bear with me. Again, I'm really sorry. But I hope this chapter makes up for it. **

Chapter 5 - The Truth

_And for the first time in a long time, I let everything go._

I was back at the academy now, and I had assumed that everyone had gone back to their dorms. It was our last night in the rooms we grew up in.

I was sitting on my bed, my eyes still red and ugly-looking, rethinking over all that had just happened. I seriously hurt my best friend. Not in the sense that I punched him, which yes, would have hurt, but emotionally, I hurt him so much.

After all he had been through just to be able to come back to the academy to tell me he was okay; I threw him away like a used toy.

Now that I kept thinking about it, it tore me apart even more. I didn't even think about how much he had felt. I hadn't given a single thought about Mason's feelings. I mean, when do I ever?

Usually, curling up in bed crying isn't how I enjoy nights off, but tonight, in this moment, it seemed fit.

Mason's image continuously flashed through my head: his pained smile, complimented by his slightly off-centre teeth. The hurt and longing that drowned in his eyes, unable to make an appearance on the surface, because what would Rose do? Push him away, like always.

His clothes were still the same as they always were, wrinkled and un-matching. Typical.

All of the little moments him and I had shared... Like the time in the cafeteria, or even just in training. I always mocked him and joked around with him, but I never once thought that those things, all of the jokes and sarcasm he laid onto me, might have been his actual feelings. Maybe that's just how he coped with them, knowing full well that the feeling wasn't mutual on my part.

I stared up at my ceiling, stray tears staining my olive cheeks. My brown eyes were still circled in red, and my hair was thrown into one of those messy ponytail-bun-things that popular girls always found attractive. I mean, what's sexier than a birds nest in your hair?

But at this point in time, I could care less about what I looked like.

I still wore the bathing suit that Liss had let me borrow, only discarded my shorts. Denim isn't comfortable to wallow in self pity in.

Occasionally, I reached up and rubbed my eyes, causing me to smear my lightly-applied make-up all over my face. Even though I couldn't see it, I new I looked like a train wreck.

My light was still on, and I had no intention of getting up to turn it off again. So on this painful night, I cried myself to sleep.

For the most part, I usually slept pretty well during the night, especially because I was exhausted from crying so much. But apparently the impatient asshole at my door thought otherwise.

I sighed loudly and peeled back the sheets that were covering my torso. I slowly made my way over to the door and rubbed my eyes frantically, wishing that whoever was at the door didn't have to see me like this. I did have a reputation to uphold.

My hand ventured down and twisted the doorknob, opening it so only half of my face showed through the small gap between the door and the doorframe.

No matter how upset I was only hours earlier, seeing Mason at my door gave me slight relief.

Unfortunately, I couldn't think of anything intelligent to say to him. "Uh... Mason," was my golden response.

He nodded and let off a weak half-smile. "Hey, Rose. Can we talk?"

I had just begun to protest about how late it was, and how tired I was, but he stopped my rambling.

"Look, I know it's late, and I know you're tired. But you deserve to know everything that happened since the last day that I saw you."

I didn't even have to ask him by 'the last day I saw you'. I knew he was talking about the day that he was attacked by that Strigoi. "Okay," I whispered softly, opening the door for him to come in.

His eyes dwelled on me for a brief moment before he looked away with the faintest hint of a blush.

"Mason?" I asked, still speaking relatively quietly.

"Hm?" He responded automatically, turning to face me again.

"I'm really sorry."

"Rose-"

"No," I interrupted. "I am so, so sorry, Mason. I never once considered how you felt. Not once. I was caught up in my own selfishness and pity, I didn't give a flying fuck about what anyone else thought. And after all that you had been through, after all you did for me; this is how I treat you. I'm surprised you're still within a hundred meters of me. Mason, I am so incredibly sorry. I've been stupid, and I've been selfish, and I've been-"

Abruptly, he placed his warm palms upon my dampened cheeks. His eyes bored into my own chestnut ones and I swallowed back my emotions.

Mason's voice was confident yet nervous. "Rose, you don't need to apologize. I shouldn't have let you think I was dead. It's my fault," He told me, sitting on the edge of my bed. He beckoned me to sit beside him, so I did.

"Are you ready?" Mason asked me, inhaling a deep breath through his nose before be continued.

I merely nodded, awaiting his explanation.

"That night... The one that I, uh," he paused for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts.

I knew he was afraid of how I'd react to his story. I mean, I would be too. After all, I had just punched him in the face.

"The night I died," he continued, pain flashing through his eyes. "You were the last thought in my head; that I had failed you, that I wasn't good enough for you. And I guess that's true." I tried to protest about him being good enough, but he shushed me. "No, Rose, let me finish. That night, I did die. And you did see my ghost. All of those warnings I gave you were because I wanted to show you that I could do something worth while, that I was worth something in your eyes.

I know you were scared of me-that was apparent. But the worst thing-that thing that made me so jealous, so angry... It's because I saw you with him; Dimitri. And now I've figured it out. You're in love with Dimitri, not me." He informed me matter-of-factly. I felt terrible. I saw the hurt in his eyes, and tears stung in my own.

"But that's okay," he continued, swallowing hard. "That's okay because all I want is for you to be happy. And that's the reason I didn't come back. I knew that you didn't feel the same about me, no matter how hard you tried. Once you're in love, you know it, and nothing can stand in your way.

I'm really proud of you, Rose, I really am. You've found your true love before you even graduated school," he joked lightly, that goofy smile returning to his lips. "Unfortunately, I haven't been so lucky. I thought I was, but now I know the truth. I'll find someone someday." He said softly, emitting a hushed sigh.

My hands rested in my lap nervously, my palms growing sweaty. This conversation had turned out to be better than I thought. I had figured he would have stormed in here and told me be hated me and never wanted to see me again. I mean, I wouldn't have been surprised; it's not the first time it's happened to me.

"Now, this is what you want to know: how I'm still alive. Well, Rose, it's complicated. It's not exactly like what you went through. Close, but not quite. A few days before the attack, I became sort of acquainted with Adrian..." He murmured, dragging on his sentence. He knew that I knew where this was going.

"So Adrian saved you," I said, eyeing him. "His Spirit is nowhere near as advanced as Lissa's."

"I know. That's another thing. She helped too." He said softly, looking up at me warily.

Just the mere thought that my friends had known about Mason's reincarnation irked me. How could they have kept this a secret from me?!

"Lissa knew that Adrian couldn't do it alone, so she decided to help him. They knew my spirit was still wondering around because you kept them informed," he explained, glancing at me ever so often to make sure I wasn't going to freak out about this.

"They summoned me, like what you did. And that time I visited you while I was on the _other side_, the last time I did, the day I faded from you. That was because I was being brought back to my body. I was being called by Lissa and Adrian. Lissa's Spirit is strong, but both together was incredible. It was the most amazing thing that had ever happened to me.

I felt more alive than I had ever been. And at that time, I wanted to go back to the academy and try to take you back, just so I could have you all to myself. But after I thought about it for a while... I knew that it wasn't what you wanted. I knew I was just a friend to you..."

"A _best_ friend," I interrupted, a small smile creeping up onto my tear-stained face. I frantically wiped the betrayers off of my cheeks and took a deep breath. "And a best friend deserves to know. Where did you go, Mason? I know you were.. Upset. But why did you keep me believing that you were dead?" I whispered softly, looking up at him expectantly. I knew that this conversation took a lot of courage on his part, but it wasn't any easier for me.

"What I did was wrong," he started, and I nodded in agreement. I knew it was a selfish thing to do, but this conversation was all about the truth, so I might as well contribute.

"I know what I had done was wrong the first day that I enrolled in regular school. I went to an all human school. I wanted to start my life over again. I wanted to live my life in a different perspective. I didn't want to have to protect someone for the rest of my life unless it was the woman I was going to marry." I understood his point, I couldn't marry Dimitri. Us being together was forbidden as it was, but marriage? They'd probably beat the shit out of us... Or try, at least.

"I didn't want to come back to hurt you, because as you know, and are experiencing, it's kind of forbidden. We couldn't have been together and fulfill our roles as guardians at the same time. I'd be drawn to protect you, not my assigned Moroi." That line alone sounded a lot like the conversations Dimitri and I have had... Such terrible memories...

_"Love fades, mine has."_

That one line made all of this realistic to me. Everything that Mason was saying was now like an epiphany to me. I understood him. The dying. The bonding. Falling in love. Being rejected. All of it.

The only thing I had that Mason didn't was that special person to love. Luckily, I have Dimitri. I've always had Dimitri, even in his darkest hours when he resented me. He was still mine.

My chocolate brown hues moved back up to Mason's own and I sighed softly. "Well, Mase, I guess that's life. I understand why you did what you did. You acted a lot better than what I would have. You've really changed. Not only in strength, which, by the way, needs a little work," I said with a little smile, elbowing him lightly. "But in every other way. You've become a whole new person. These experiences have changed you so much." I told him.

"The same to you. I couldn't believe how much more mature you've gotten. But you still stay up late. Some things will never change." He said with a small grin.

Finally, we had started a healthy friendship again. This is all I wanted from him. It's all I've ever wanted.

Now that we had started over, I turned to him, outstretching my arms.

"Woah there, tiger. I don't want you accidentally punching me in the face," he teased, pushing my arms away.

For a moment, I was upset that we actually had to work our friendship up to the hugging stage. That was annoying.

But soon after that thought, he leaned in and wound his arms around me, pulling me to his chest tightly. I wrapped my arms back around him and smiled, returning the embrace with emphasis.

"Thank you for forgiving me, Mason." I murmured softly into his shoulder. He smelled just like always, cologne with a hint of Mason.

"Thanks for listening," he shot back quietly, pulling out of the hug. He then leaned over and pressed his lips on my forehead. "Now get to sleep. We've got a long day tomorrow."

He stood from my bed and grinned cockily at me, walking to the door. "G'night, Rose," he said before walking out of my dorm, shutting the door lightly behind him.

"Good night, Mason."

-...-

Mason's confession last night had me thinking a lot, so I didn't actually get much sleep. I was so anxious; I had spent the night packing the rest of my belongings in boxes for today's move.

I had found an apartment near Court so Lissa could still go to university. Conveniently, she lived beside me... After some... Polite persuasion on the landlord's part.

But it all worked out. We even had a connecting door in the living room. Locked on my side, and on her side, so we couldn't just enter someone's apartment.

My apartment was decently sized: a small kitchen, cupboards on the walls and matching counters. The cupboards were painted white, and the counter tops were a black marble-y texture. The floor files were white and my walls, a very light yellow. Pastel, sort of.

My dining room wasn't exactly a dining room. It was to the left of the kitchen, but there wasn't a wall separating the two rooms. My kitchen, dining room, and living room were all one open room.

The walls of the dining room were the same pale yellow, no table as of yet.

My living room had been painted differently though. It was instead of yellow, a pastel green. My floors were shiny oak and surrounded by white borders on the walls.

It seemed all so home-y. I never expected to live on my own. It was new. I thought I'd live with Lissa for the rest of my life. But living in the same house as Christian gave me the motivation to kindly move next door instead.

And for the longest time, I thought being alone would be frightening and I wouldn't be able to hand it. I shared my worries promptly with Dimitri and we compromised.

Since Dimitri was also guarding Lissa, we decided to move in together.

Dimitri had a limited amount of things to take with him, whereas I took up most of the space. We had decided to go shopping earlier on in the first week we moved in. Occasionally, I'd see Adrian and Mason, but not too often. I saw Eddie a lot being as his assigned Moroi was working here at Court.

This afternoon, Lissa and Christian were coming over for dinner. We spent a lot of time at each other's homes, every Tuesday and Thursday was spent eating with each other, occasionally on Saturday as well.

I was heading out to the kitchen from mine and Dimitri's bedroom so I could attempt to make something edible.

So far I was good at making toast.

Looking around the kitchen, I noticed that I hadn't cleaned in a little while. Quite frankly, I hadn't cleaned anywhere since the week before.

"Dimitri!" I called, bending down to retrieve a cleaning cloth from a drawer.

"Hm?" He mumbled while entering the kitchen, wiping the sleep from his eyes. "What is it?" He asked me, the accent filling his tired voice.

"I don't know what to make," I informed him.

At first, his face was serious, no expression what-so-ever. I was a little worried at this point, staring at him curiously. "You're cooking?" He finally said, disbelief lacing his words thickly.

I rubbed my arm for a moment, contemplating whether it was actually a good idea or not. "Well, you were sleeping, and I didn't want to wake you..." I started, rubbing the back of my neck sheepishly.

"You should have woke me," he told me, lifting my chin with one long finger. "I'd rather be woken up by you than the fire alarm," he teased, his soft laughter filling the room.

"Ha-ha. Very funny, comrade," I scoffed, sticking my tongue out in his direction.

Having Dimitri around was really comforting. I mean, if I was stuck by myself cooking, that'd be atrocious. But luckily Dimitri was there for me. He always seemed to be there in any situation that I needed him. Whether it was cooking, someone to talk to, someone to kick ass with, he was there.

Dimitri still looked a little bit tired, so I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around his waist gently. I rested my head against his solid chest as his arms slithered around my small torso.

"You smell nice," I murmured absentmindedly to the Russian man holding me. I could feel the low chuckle in his chest and I smiled.

"Thank you, Roza," he said happily, resting his chin atop of my head. He took a deep breath and exhaled over my hair, tousling it around slightly.

"I don't want to let go," I whispered softly, this coming out of the blue.

"You don't have to," Dimitri reassured me, holding me tighter against him. "You will never have to..." He added quietly, planting a kiss on the top of my hair.

I moved my head from his chin's' hold and looked up into Dimitri's dark eyes. "Dimitri?"

"Mm?"

"I love you."

He let off a large smile and said softly, "And I love you."

He leaned down to me and our lips met in the middle.

Usually, with everything that was happening, I wouldn't have wanted to see anyone, be touched by anyone, be near anyone. But Dimitri made me feel completely different. Just the thought of him being with me made me forget about everything that was wrong in the world.

Actually, it made me think about two things:  
1. I graduated.

2. We can have sex.

"Dimitri!" I exclaimed, pulling back from his embrace urgently, a huge grin erupting on my lips. "We can totally have sex right now!" I squealed, a very un-Rose like thing to do.

He stared at me and contemplated the idea for a moment before nodding. "Yes, we could. But we could also eat…" He murmured.  
"No, no, no, no, no. We can eat later," I told him.

"Roza," he whispered, looking down at me with his big chocolate brown eyes. "I don't want to have sex with you. I want to make love with you, and I want it to be really special," he said softly, looking a little embarrassed.  
I looked at him and smiled softly, placing a hand to his cheek. "I agree."

"But," he dragged out, looking over me. "I think that can wait for another time," he said, picking me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist while he pressed his lips firmly to mine.

Carefully, he walked us to the bedroom where he spent no time at all laying me back on the bed.

Luckily, he was already not wearing a shirt, which made all of this much more enjoyable. Apparently he felt the same about me, and pulled his lips away so he could tug my shirt off over my head and toss it aside.  
This continued until both of us weren't wearing anything.

This was the first time in a long time that I had seen Dimitri this way, and damn, did I miss it.

He was so perfect.

He had sleek, tanned skin that made his muscles look smooth and wonderful. His lips were so soft against my olive skin, and his dark hues followed my every move.

I wasn't nervous anymore. The first time this had happened, I was really nervous. I was also still a virgin. But I guess because I was with Dimitri, it made the experience so much better.

Dimitri stared at me for a moment before slowly pressing into me. At first, I was a little surprised because it had been a while, but after a little while, I grew accustomed to him.

My hips began to control themselves and grind slightly into his pelvis. I kept my eyes closed for a majority of the experience, but opened them to see his gorgeous face. He looked pleasured and perfect.

I smiled genuinely and arched my head back. I felt Dimitri stiffen and soon after, he wrapped his arms around me tightly.

His body began to flinch and he soon came down from the glorious high that he was on, much around the same time that I did.

Dimitri collapsed on top of me and buried his face into the nap of my neck.

I smiled tiredly and stroked his hair gently, a thin layer of sweat coating us both.

This day had turned out to be better than I thought, and lying here in Dimitri's embrace only made it that much better.


End file.
